Web 2.0 Facebook and MySpace? The Solution For Trouble?

Have you considered using Facebook or MySpace during an emergency?

Why would you? You probably have the impression that those websites are just for youth to socialize and there is no benefit to government or businesses?

Think again.

During the next major emergency, have someone search the name of the disaster and see how quickly a group is created and how many people will discuss the incident.

While you might say it is not the official information and is inaccurate.

Would you not want to know that? After all, members of the press are monitoring those websites, as well as members of the public. Shouldn't you?

Two ways of looking at everything

Earlier, we featured a story about emergency related websites in Canada and some of the challenges we face as residents, business travelers, and tourists.

It is a good thing we do not have this problem in the United States. Or do we?

Recently, we received an email from a student who was looking to volunteer with a local police explorer program. She reached out to us through the contact form on this website, which allows our readers to send a message through Facebook. When we asked her why she reached out to us, she said she did a Google search.

So maybe the Ontario recommendation might not be that far off.

Something to think about.

Google, The Ultimate Emergency Preparedness Solution?

Prior to the presentations at Showcase Ontario, we spent time looking for specific emergency management websites in Ontario, with some but limited success.

It was obvious that the opening page of www.ontario.ca did not have any emergency management information. Here is the current opening page, maybe you can find it?



When speaking with representatives in the EMO booth, they agreed it was not there, and mentioned that all of the ministries try to get on the Ontario.ca website. He said that you
just needed to take a few extra steps. You will easily find that unless you know what you are looking for ahead of time, that going to the http://www.ontario.ca/ website will probably give you a challenge to find anything on emergency management and you will get easily frustrated.

Do not take our word for it, if you are an emergency manager; ask a family member or someone off the street to find readiness information. Prove us wrong.

Does that mean that emergency preparedness and notification is lower priority in parts of Canada? Do disasters not occur in Canada? We all know that is not the case.

That being said, the question was asked, so how do I get the information. Could you please show us those "few extra steps?" We clicked down and were unable to find it. Too much frustration.

As this approach did not work, the conversation quickly changed to find us the information we were looking for, without knowing the exact website.

It was suggested that we "Google" Ontario Emergency Management and start from there. That search did result in the website we were looking for.

So to get the information, you have to make the effort to get the information, and there is no or very limited push to give you the information. In order to be prepared, you need to know you need to be prepared. Expect the unexpected? How does someone
do that?

However, many solutions such as citizen alerting could not be found. That is because beyond an alert system on the news, both radio and television, there is no text or phone based alerting system.